Precision measuring device



' 'Allg' '25, 1942- E. s. GUTTMANN PRECISION MEASURING DEVCE .Filed July 21, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet l @d 5 2 1 .w www@ Nj L mi. 6, l 1 w uw .mm 5 A f, e a P Y E. 1% m A o ww M Aug. 25, 1942. E, s, 'GUTTMAN 2,293,733

'PRECISION MEASURING DEVICE Filed July 2l, 1941l 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. S. GUTTMANN PRECISION MEASURING DEVICE v ug.. 25, 942.

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 2l, 1941 o b 5 w .x m f Wl\\ M M W z a N 9 a 0 J mm @ad w w MJ, 0 l, N4 w 4 -d J e 1 2 mn iwf. ww M a ,o/ w K Y# w www ,w fw G E. s. GUTTMANN 2,293,733

y PRECISION MASURING -DEVICE Filed July 2l, 1941 y 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 'r-ro was@ Allg- 25, 1942. E. s. GLJTTNLIguu 2,293,733

PRECISION MEASURING DEVICE Patented Aug. 25, 1942` PRECISION MEAsUmNc. DEVICE Eric S. Guttmann, Rockford, Ill., assigner to The Ingersoll Milling Machine Company, Rockford, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application July 21, i941, Serial No. 403,343

18 Claims.

The present invention pertains to a device for vmalring ne measurements such as are required in machine shop practice and has more particularly to do with a measuring device utilizing a flexible line helically wrapped about a drum by which an indicator is actuated as the line is reeled in and out during the displacement of a part whose motion is to be measured.

One object of the invention is to provide such a device which is-ernbodied in the form of a complete self-contained unit of such character that it may simply and easily be applied to some member whose displacement is to be measured.

A more detailed object is to provide a measuring device of the above character in which the free end of the flexible line is guided accurately by the structure which supports the drum and simply has a loose connection with a part of the machine on which the device is to be used.

Another object is to provide in such a unitary device a novel means for excluding dust and other foreign matterirom the operating parts.

Another object is to provide such a unitary device comprised of 'a series of demountable units which can readily be ilxed together in a selected one of various angular positions so as to ac` commodate the application of the device member movable in a corresponding variety of angularly related directions.

The invention also resides in a novel resetting arrangement for the indicator oi the instrument.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a. perspective view of a measuring device embodying the invention. v

v away.

Fig. 6 is a section vtaken substantially along line l--B in Fig. 5. l Fig. '1 is an enlarged detail front elevation olthe brake arrangement included in the resetting mechanism for the indicator with certain 5 of the parts shown as sectioned substantially along the line l-l in Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 lis a section taken substantially along the line 8 8 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 9-9 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail perspective View ci a slide and attachment 'pin to which the unreeled end of the flexible line or tape is xed.

Fig. il is a detail top view of the mounting base included in the instrument, with the associated parts shown in light lines.

Fig. i2 is an exploded perspective view of the instrument housing,

Fig. 3.3 is a section taken substantially along the line 53-*33 in Fig. 5. l

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary sectional View similar to Fig. 5 showing a modified arrangement for resetting the indicator pointer.'

Fig. l5 is a view similar to Fig: 7 illustrating a modified form of brake and resetting mechanism.

Fig. 16 is a vertical sec/tional view similar i to Fig. 9 illustrating a modified form of tape enclosure.

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of Fig. 16.

While the invention in susceptible ofvarious Amodifications and alternative constructions, I

have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detailthe preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention by such disclosure but aim to cover all modifications and alternative cony,

structions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

For purposes of illustration, the novel measuring device has been shown applied to a machine tool for registering the displacement of a movable element thereof, in this instance, a quill I6. The quill is splined for vertical movement in a guideway I4 fashioned in a housing I5 relative to which the quill is fed endwise by rotation of a drive pinion I1 meshing with a rack I8. The pinion I1 may, of course, be either hand or power actuated to feed the quill endwise. Within the quill is journaled an axially extending drive shaft I9 on the lower end of which is xed a milling cutter 20. The measuring device herein disclosed thus serves to indicate the precise endwise displacement of the quill and cutter 20 relative to a work piece (notshown) or to a stationary part o! the machine.

As shown in Fig. 2, the instrument comprises generally a revoluble drum 2l having helically 'v counter 29. The counterZ has -three wheels 39,

' meshed' with the gear 32, is arranged. to be rotated by insertion of a wrench (not shown) into ,toreelin the line 22.

wrapped about it a exible line 22 preferably in the form' of a thin metal ribbon or tape. 'One end of the line is fixed to the drum and-the other end is anchored toa slide 23 received in anelongated guide 2d. A pin 25 provides a loose connection 5 .between .the slide 23 and the quill I6 (Figs. 1

and 3) is herein received in a slot 25a in a bracket 2t' fixed to the quill and projecting through an`elongated slot 2l along the side of the quill guide I5. As the quill moves endwise,

3i, and'32 (see Fig. 4) each of which has digits from to 9 on its periphery.` These wheels ,arev interconnected in the usual manner for such devices, so that one revolution of the wheel 32 advancesl the next wheel 3l a' tenthof a revolution and each full revolution of the wheel 3l advances the Inext Wheel 36 a tenth of a revolution. The

Wheel'3l registers lin inches, the wheel 39 in tens of inches-and the Wheel 32 in tenths of inches.' 39

The -dial type counted 29 includes 'a rotary a scale length totaling registrations for one-tenth 'of an inch'. The center portionsof the -front the line 22is reeled in or unreeled from the drum 2i so that .the rotation of the drum is directly Such mounting of the tape guideway directly on sides of the wheels 3i, 32 are exposed through gg lsuitable apertures in the dial 33 (see Fig. A1).

To drivethe indicator from the drum 2l (see I. Fig. 2), a gear 35 is xed to the drum and meshes With B. pinion 31.

. and Xed-o'n a shaft 92 which also carries the pointer.' The wheel type counter. 23 is driven from the gear t!) through 'a pair of bevel gears d3, dd, the gear d3 being `fixedA to a sleeve e5 rigid .with-the gear (ill and the other bevel gear 4&3

being xed to the drive shaft it of the multiwheel counter.: 'I'he frictional connection between the disk 39 and gear i9 is utilized so'as'to facilitate resetting of the indicator to any desired -initial value. For purposes of such resetting in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 13, a pinion d?,

the socketed end of the shaft i8 of this. pinion-. During such resetting operation, a brake shoe, hereinafter detailed, isengaged with the brake disk 39 so vas to prevent inadvertentfturnin'gcf, 60

i the take-up drum 2l. v

endA of thespring is suitably anchoredto a stay tionary frame part as hereinafter described. The

spring thus constantly urges the drum 2| to turn Theindicator proper is. enclosed in a rectanguiar housing 50, while the drum-2|, the line 22,'

the slide 23V and the'guide 2l for theslidearevall 'Thuson'e end of the spring is iixed to the shaft 38 and the other or'outer 65 upper portion Sie of this latter housing 5l is rectangular while the lower portion 5Ib is of elongated generally tubular form. The two housings 59 and 5l are adapted to be xed together forming a unitary casing in which all of the operating parts of the measuring device are mounted and by which they are enclosed.

To install the instrument illustrated on the machine tool shown. the casing 50 is disposed in a recess 59e in the front Wall of the machine tool head (Fig. 3) and fastened to the latter ,by screws entered through a ange 52 which lies against a machine surface 53 on .the front wall. The portion 5I of the instrument housing is thus disposed Within the quill housing l5 with the pin 25 projecting through a slot 60 in the side wall adjacent the slot 2l in the quill guideway. Because the pin 25 is on the-slide 23 which is independently guided-inthe Way 26, the connection with the bracket 26 on the quill may be loose, thereby avoiding the necessity of precision in the mounting vof the instrument housing. That is to say, it is only necessary to mount the instrument housing with the guideway for the slideway 22 approximately parallel to the quill guidewa'y.

the main housing also facilitates servicing of the instrument.

Having in mind the general .layout of the in- A strument as set forth above, the construction of the various component elements may now be detailed. Referring to Figs. 5 and 9, the drum 2l is freelyrevoluble upon a stationary shaft 5f! within. the rectangular upper portion @le of the rear housing 5i. This shaft 563 is rigid with the rear or base lplate 55 of the indicator unit assembly (Fig. l1) and its outer end is received in a- The periphery of. the drum is helically grooved and the roots of the groove .which receive the line 22 are ground to size with extreme precision.

The inner end of the tape is anchored to the drum as indicated at El in Fig. 5 while, as heretofore noted, the her or free end of the line is anchored to the sli e .23 (see Fig. 9).

In order that the circumferential displacement A of the drum will exactly equal the linear dlsplacement ofthe quill throughoutthe range of the latter, it is necessary to maintain constant the included angle a between the dunreeled portion of the tape 22 and the path ofthe free end `of lthe tape which path is determined by the guideway for the slide 23. The maintenance of this angular relation is insured in the present instrument because the guideway 2e is included'as a unitarypart of the instrument itself. Thus.

-the guideway maybe located more easily and with greater accuracy in the initial construction and assembly of the unitary instrument than would be Possible in the attachment. of the instrument tothe machine 'with which it is to be used. i-

The guide 2l'(see Figs. 6, 9, an'd12') is a metal bar having an elongated groove 58 dovetailed, in this instance, and receiving the complementally shaped vslide 23. A longitudinal slot 59 inthe guide bar 24 registers with a similar slot 60 in the housing extension ilb'through Whichl slotsthe pin 25 on the slide 23..pr'ojects.

which is located in position on the plate 55 by' a.

` disposed within an e19neatedfh0usie15l-- 'The 75 pair o.f.dowe1 pins` 6i and removamy attached to the plate by a pair of screws 62. Thus, both the guide 24 and drum 2| are supported from the same member, namely, the base plate 55, so that the requisite angular relation between the drum axis and guideway is always fixed.

When the guide 24 is disposed to extend vertically, as shownin Figs. 1 and 2, the dowel pins 8| lare received in a pair of holes 53 in the base plate 55v (Fig. 12) and the screws 62 threaded into'a pair of tapped holes 64. Also in such case, the rear housing is fixed to the base plate 55 by three screws 65 threaded into holes 68 in the base plate. Three alternatively available sets of holes 53", 63, and 63, and three corresponding sets of holes 64, 54", and 54c for the dowel pins 5| and screws 62 respectively are provided in the base plate 55 to accommodate location of the guldeway 24 to extend respectively horizontally to the left (as viewed in Fig. l2), vertically upward, or horizontally to the right. Similarly, the housing 5| may be positioned to correspond to the position of the guide 24 and attached to plate 55 by utilizing the proper holes 66. All of the sets of holes are centered about the axis of the drum shaft 54 so that the change in position'of the guide and housing does not affect the drum position and the gear 38 xed on the drum remains properly in mesh with its driven pinion 31. Thus, the tape may be led olf from the drum in a plurality of angles without changing the upf right position of the dial face.

In accordance with the present invention, provision is made for sealing the slot 60 while permitting projection of the connecting pin 25 therethrough and movement of the pin along the slot. 'I'his is accomplished by a traveling medium 61 moved along the slot with the pin. The medium herein shown'comprises a liexible ribbon, preferably of resilient steel, led over suitable guides with opposite'ends attached to the block 23a on the slide 23 by screws 13, thus forming an endless loop. In the form shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 13, the guides comprise pulleys 68 and 68 in opposite ends of the housing 5| and pulleys 10, 1|, and 12 spaced around the drum 2|. A simplified guide arrangement is shown in Figs. 16 and 17, the

K guides comprising tubes 10 somewhat longer than the diameter of the drum 2| and fastened.

by rivets 1|]b in opposite ends of the tape housing. As shown, these guides are formed by ilattening seamless copper tubing to form a substantially straight intermediate portion 1||c and end portions 1l)d gradually curved to their ends which extend substantially perpendicular to the straight portions. The cross-section of the tube is such that the ribbon will slide therethrough readily and around the curved parts.

In both of the arrangements above described, the ribbon 61. bridges the slot 60 in the housing 5| throughout its length and the edges of the tape are received in undercut grooves 14 in the guide bar 24 (see Fig. 13). The tape 51 is bowed or curved in cross-section as shown in Fig. 13 and thus frictionally engages the housing at 15 at the edges of the slots 60 so as to maintain an effective seal throughout the length of the latter.

It will be observed that the ribbon 61 com' pletely closes and effectually seals the end portions of the slot 51 on opposite sides of the connecting pin 25 and this in all positions of the guide bar 24. This is because the ribbon, being connected 'at opposite ends to the pin, is shifted endwise around its guides as the pin is moved back and forth during reeling and unreeling of the measuring tape 22.

Access may be had to the parts within the extension 5|b of the housing 5| by removal of a cover plate 16 (Figs. 5, 6, and 13). As shown, the housing extension 5|b is generally channel shaped in cross-section and the cover plate 16 is screwed in place to close the open side of the channel.

Turning now to a consideration of a mechanism housed in the other or front casing section 50, it willbe observed from Fig. 5 that the front of this housing 50 is covered by a transparent glass disk 11 held against the face of the dial 33 by a bezel 18. The rear face of the housing is closed by the base plate 55 which is screwed to a shoulder 18 within the housing with a packing 88 interposed between the shoulder and base plate. Thus, both the front and rear sides of the housing 50 are effectually sealed.

Projecting forwardly through the housing 50 is the shaft 38 (Fig. 5) carrying the drum driven pinion 31. This shaft is journaled at its inner end in an antifriction bearing 8| -xed in the base plate 55 and at its outer end in an antifriction bearing 82 fixed in a bracket rigid with the base plate. This bracket comprises three upstanding legs 83 integral with the base plate and also integral with a. generally triangular plate84 (see Fig. 4 for a face view of the latter).

Pinned to the shaft 38 is a spool shaped member 85 whose left hand end member constitutes the brake disk 38. The torsion spring 48 is received in this spool 85 with its inner end Vanchored to the hub of the latter. An annular casing 85, fixed to the base plate 55, encloses the spring and has a transverse slot 81 therein (see also Fig. 8) through which the end of the spring projects. This projecting end of the spring is bent back over the exterior of the casing 8B and is slotted as indicated at 88 to engage an anchorage pin 8S on the casing. The anchored end of the spring 48 is thus held against movement lateraily of the casing and, being hooked to the latter, is anchored against movement circumferentially of the casing. However, the pin and slot type of anchorage used permits the projecting end of the spring to iiex slightly in a direction radially outward of the surface of the casing 86 so that the spring is not distorted as it is coiled up about the hub ci the spool member 85 as it would be if the outer end of the spring were rigidly anchored to the casing 8B.

The gear 4,0 Within the housing 58 is, as heretofore noted, ilxed to the sleeve 45 freely journaled on the shaft 38. A helical compression spring 98 interposed between a collar 9| pinned to the shaft 38 and the front face of the beveled gear 3.3, which is also rigid with the sleeve 45, yieldably urges the face of the gear di) into irictional engagement with the opposed face of the brake disk 38, With the members39 and 4G thus held in frictional engagement, the gear 4D turns in unison with the drum driven shaft 38.

The` connection through the bevel gears 43, @d to the multi-wheel type counter 28 has been heretofore described. This counter 28 is supported by studs 92 on the base plate 55. The shaft 42 (see Fig. 5) which connects the gear 40 to revolve the indicator needle 34 is journaled by an antifriction bearing 83 also mounted in the bracket plate 84. The needle 34 is fixed to the forward end of this shaft by a hub S4 While the inner end of the shaft carries the pinion 4| which meshes with the gear 4-8.

In lthe form shown in Figs. 1 to 13Y the reset mechanism voperates through the gear 48 and 4 A able the course of operation oi the instrument.l The socketed forward end of the shaft 48, which is engaged by a wrench to turn the reset pinion 41, is accessible through an opening in the upper front side of the casing 50 (see Figs. 1 and 8). Provision is made, however, for closing the aperture |00 at all times except when a brake shoe is engaged with the brake disk 39. In this way, inadvertent turning of the brake disk 39 and drum 2| by the operation of the reset pinion 41 is prevented. In other words, the reset pinion 41 is accessible for turning only when the drum 2| is brake-held against rotation.

The brake mechanism as 'shown in Figs. 4 and '1 comprises a shoe |0| pivotally mounted on an intermediate portion of a swinging actuator arm |02. The latter is pivoted on a pin |03 threaded .in the base plate 55"(see also Fig. 8) The other end of the swinging lever|02 projects through a slot |04 in the casing 50 and has a iinger grip or handle |05 on its outer end. The slot |04 is closed by a sliding plate |05 mounted on a recess |01 in the lower side of the housing 50, and a compression spring s|08 is interposed between the handle |05 and the opposed face of the plate |06.

This spring not only holds the plate in place but also frictionally retains the brake lever at any position to which it may be shifted by virtue of the frictional engagement by the plate it with the bottom of thel recess |01 against which it is pressed. 'The lever |02 is movable between the studs 92 which support the multi-wheeled counter 23 and which act as stops for the same.

An extension arm |09 (Figs. '1 and 8) is iixed to the upper end of the arm |02 and moves in unison with it as the latter is swung about its "pivot |03. The-outer end of the extension |09v has a head H0 thereon disposed in a recess in the casing 50 behind the aperture |09. When the brake a'ctuator arm |32 is in' the position shown in full` lines in Fig. 1, the head 5|@ closes the aperture |00 so that access cannot be had to the socketed end of the reset pinion shaft di? and it thus, in ei'fect, disables the reset mechanism against operation. When, however, the actuator arm |02 is swung to the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 7, to engage the ,brake shoe |0| with the brake disk |39, the head ||0 is swung clear of the aperture |00.

Movement of the brake actuator arm |02 also serves to shift a reset collar l2 (Figs. 4 and 8)r for the multi-wheel type counter 28. This collar H2 is normally spring -urged vto the position shown in Fig. 8 but, when shifted to the right, releases the counter wheels 30, 3|, and 32,50 that one revolution of the bevel gears 43, 44'wi1l reset the counter to zero. The mechanism within the counter 29 whichis actuated by the collar ||2 is oi' conventional construction available in units 0f this type now on the market and consequently need not be detailed here. Ten revolutions oi the reset pinion shaft 48 are required to effect one i'ull revolution of the bevel gears 43, 44 for resetting the multi-wheel counter 28 fully back to zero. To shift the collar ||2 to the right (as viewedl'n Figs. 4 and 8), a pin ||3 is arrangedto project into engagement with it. This pin ||3 is mounted on the lower end of a' link ||4 (Fig. '1) pivoted by a-pin ||5 on the base plate 55. The link II4 is nivotally connected bya transverse link H6 with the brake shoe actuator arm |02. Consequently, when the arm |02 is swung to engage the brake shoe |0| with the drum 39, it

also shifts the pin ||3 lso that the latter 4thrusts the collar |I2 inward. Restoration of the actuator arm |02 to its initial position, of course, causes the pin ||3 to release the collar ||2 so that the latter is permitted to spring back to its initial position.

Fig. 14 shows a modied actuator for'turning the shaft 42 to reset the counter. In this inf' stance, the extended end of the needleshaft 42 is formed with 'clutch dogs |30 interengageable with dogs |3| on a shaft |32 journaled in a bushing |33 which is supported in rubber grommet |34 mounted in' a hole formed in the center of the bezel 11. By grasping a knob |35 on its outer end, the shaft |32 may be shifted axially against the action of a spring |36 to engage the clutch` |30|3| whereupon the shaft 42 may be turned to reset the counter. The clutch disengages automatically when the knob is released.

In the modiiied resetting mechanism shown in Fig.l5, the eilectiveness'of the brake shoe |0| is increased by making it tapered and'adaptedfor engagement in a V-groov 39s in the periphery of the disk 39. 'I'he shoe is on the end of a link connected to a lever |2| pivoted at |22 and connected at its free end to one link of a toggle |23. 'Ihe other link of Vthe latter is fast on the,

end of a rockshaft |24. projecting into a side recess !31 in the bottom of the casing 50. By shifting a lever |25 to the left, as viewed in Fig. l5, the toggle is 'straightened and the shoe |0| pressed into the groove to set the brake. At the same time, a link |26 is shifted in a direction such that a yoke |21 on its end shifts the collar ||2 to condition the counter for resetting. With the toggle thus straightened, little eiort is required to be applied to the lever |25 inorder to hold the brake set.

Brief rsume' of operation member whose displacement is to be measuredl such,- for example, as the quill I9 in y Fig. l. Finally, the pin 25 is connected loosely to the bracketZS on such movable member.

Having thus installed the instrument, it is conditioned to lregister continuously and with eX- treme precision the displacement of the movable member ysuch as the quill I6. During such operation, the slide 23 istraversed along the guide 24 in unison with the quill I8. As the slide 23 moves to and fro, the drum 2| reels in or lets out the line 22 as the case may be, the spring 49 serving at all -times to yleldably urge the' drum to -turn in a direction to reel in the line.

The rotation of the drum 2|, occasioned by reeling in and out of the line 22, drives the indicator .mechanism which registers continuously the' location of the quill |6 in inches, tenths, hundredths, and even thousandths thereof.4 In the course of such normal operation, the housing of the unitary structure is closed by the dusttight sealing means heretofore described wheremby the instrument is thoroughly protected,

against dust and dirt which might lodge in the drum 2| or ther parts and impair accuracy of operation. A j

v'Io 'reset the indicator back to zero at any time, theoperator actuates the brake handle to set the bralre and holctthe drum 2| against turning. This same movement pushes inthe elongated guide having a slide thereon, said slide' being connectable to one of the members Whose displacement relative to another member is to be measured, means actuated in response to movement of said slide along said guide, and means supporting said guide and said rst mentioned means in a unitary assembly.

2. A self-contained measuring device adapted for application as an assembled unit to a machine having relatively movable members whose displacement relative to each other is .to be measured, said device comprising, in combination, an elongated guide, a slide thereon, a revoluble drum, a line Wrapped about said drum and attached to said slide, an-indicator actuator driven by said drum, means for connecting said slide to one of the members, and means for supporting said guide and drum and indicator in a unitary assembly on the other of said members. 3. A self-contained measuring device adapted for application as an assembled unit to a machine vhaving relatively movable members whose displacement relative to each other is to be measured, said device comprising, in combination, a casing constituting a unitary structure and adapted to be mounted on one of saidA members, an indicator in said casing, an elongated guide on said casing, a slide movable along said guide and connectable to the other of said members, and means for actuating said indicator in response to displacement of said slide along said guide.

-4 A unitary measuring apparatus comprising, in combination, a casing adapted to be mounted on'f a machine part, an elongated rectilinear guideway rigid with said casing, a member slidable along said guideway and adapted for connection externally of said housing to another 5. A precision -measuring device comprising,4 Ain combination, a support, a drum, means revolubly mounting said drum on said support, a

flexible line helically wrapped about said drum with one end anchored thereto and the other end leading away therefrom, means yieldably biasing said drumito turn in a direction to reel in the line, an indicator actuated in response to rotation of the drum, a slide ,xed to said other end of the line and attachable to a member whose displacement relative to another member is to be measured, and a guide rigid with said support for guiding said slide for movement in a fixed path disposed at a constant angle to the portion of the line leading from the drum to the slide equal to the helix angle of the line on the drum.

6. A precision measuring device comprising, in combination, a support, a shaft rigid with said support and projecting outwardly therefrom, a drum journaled on said shaft, a flexible line helically wrapped about said drum with one end anchored thereto and the other end leading away therefrom, means yieldably biasing said drum .to turn in a direction to reel in the line, an indicator actuated in response to rotation of the drum, aslide fixed to said other end of the line and attachable to a member whose displacement relative to another member is to be measured, and a guide rigid with said support for guiding said slide for movement in a fixed path disposed at a constant angle to the portion of the line leading from the drum to the slide equal to the helix angle of the line on the drum.

7. A precision measuring device comprising, in

combination, a supporting plate, a drum, means revolubly mounting said drum on one face of said plate, an elongated guide rigid with said ore face of said plate and extending'laterally away from said drum, a slide carried by said guide for movement along the` same and attachable to a member whose displacement is to be measured, means including a flexible line wrapped about said drum and attached to said slide for revolving said drum in timed relation with the movement of said -slide along said guide, an indicator mounted on the face of said supporting plate opposite said drum, means for actuating said indicator in response to rotation of said drum, rst and second housings disposed on opposite sides of said supporting plate and fixed thereto, said first housing enclosing said indicator, and said second housing enclosing said drum and having an elongated portion also enclosing said guide andv slide and the portion of the line leading from the drum to said slide.

8. A unitary type measuring device comprising, in combination, a visual indicator mechanism having a housing for the same, an elongated guide, a slide traversable along said guide and attachable to a member whose displacement is to be measured, means for actuating said indicator in response to movement of said slide, and means for connecting said guide and housing together with said guide projecting outward from the housing in any one of a plurality of various angular positions, whereby to permit attachment of said slide to a member movable in a corresponding direction relative to the housing while still retaining said indicator in a predetermined position suitable for easy reading of the same.

9. A unitary type measuring device comprising, in combination, a support, a drum. revolubly mounted on said support, an elongated guide having a slide traversable along it, means including of said drum.

member whose displacement'is to be measured, means including a, flexible line wrapped about said drum and anchored to said slide for revolving said drum in timed relation with the movement of the slide along said guide, means for actuating said indicator in response to rotationy in any one of a plurality of selectively available positions corresponding to the location of said' sets of holes.

'11. A measuring device comprising,` in combination, two supports adapted to be fastened together in any one of a plurality of positions anvgularly spaced about a fixed axis, an indicator having an element rotatably mounted on one of said supports, a slide mounted forreciprocation' on the other support, a drum rotatably mounted on one of said supports and connected to 'said element to turn the latter, and a exible line Wrapped around said drum and having an un` reeled portion connected to said slide.

12. In a precision measuring instrument,the combination of a dust proof housing having an elongated slot therein, an indicator in saidhousing, means for actuating said indicator including a connecter disposed in said slotA for movement along the same and attachable to an adjacent member whose displacement is to be measured, and' closure means for maintaining the portion of the slot' on eitherv side of the connecter closed irrespective of the position of said connecter along the length of said slot.v

. 13. In a precision measuring instrument, the combination of a dust proof housing having an elongated slot therein, an indicator in said housing, a slide, means for guiding said slide for movementvwithin said housing along said slot, a

connecter extending from said slide out through said slot for attachment of the slide to a movable member whose displacement is to be measured, rneans for actuating said indicator in response to movement of said slide along said slot, a :dexible closure tape xed to said slide and extending therefrom in oppositev directions along said slot, and means for maintaining said tape in position to retain vclosed the portions of `said slot lying on opposite sides of the slide and irrespective of the latters position along the slot.

14. In a precision measuring instrument, the

combination of a dust proof housing having anl elongated slot therein, an indicator in said housing, a slide, means for guiding saidl slide for ble closure tape fixed to said slide and extending in a continuous loop therefrom, and means for supporting said tape in position to extend along said slot on both sides of said slide and to retain closed the portions of said slot lying'on said opposite sides of said slide. f A

15. In a precision measuring instrument, the

, combination ofl a dust proof housing having` an elongated slot therein,an indicatorrin said housing, a slide, means for guiding said slide for movement within said housing along said slot, a connecter extending from said slide out through said slot for attachment of the slide to a, movable member whose displacementl is to be measured, means for actuating said indicator in response tov movement of saidslide along said slot, a flexible -closure tape fixed to said slide and extending therefrom in opposite directions along said slot, said tape .being of greater width than said slot,-

and means defining guide grooves for receiving.- the edges of said tape and of a lesser width than Vsaid tape, whereby the tape is buckled transversely into tight frictional engagement with. the edges of said guide grooves.

16. In a measuring instrument, the combination of an indicator, an actuator for said indicator including a revoluble member, a manually operable device for resetting said indicator, a closurel member movable into and out of position for preventing access to said resetting device, a brake for-holding said revoluble member against turning, and means for simultaneously applying said brake and moving said closure-member to aposition permitting access to said resetting device.

Al'7. In a measuringinstrunient, the combina# tion of an indicator, an actuator for said indicator including a revoluble member, a manually' operable device for resetting said indicator, means normally disabling said resetting device, a normally released brake for holding said revoluble member against rotation, and interlock means for preventing conditioning of the reset .device for operation except when said brake is applied l*to hold said revoluble member against rotation.

18. In a measuring instrument, the combination of an indicator, an actuator for said indicator,'.means for connecting said indicator in driven relation with saidactuator, said last mentioned means including frictionally engageable driving and driven members, a manually opera.

' ble device for resetting said indicator, a housing movement within said housing along said slot, a

for said indicator and actuator, said housin having an aperture therein affording access said resettingdevice, a brake for holding said driving member against rotation, a lever for setting said brake and operable from the exterior of said housing, a closure member movable into and out of position to close said aperture, and means actuated by said arm for moving said closure member into closed position relative to said aperrelease said brake and vice versa.

ERIC S. GUITMANN.

ture upon shifting of said armin a direction i 

